Exception
by xiamesee
Summary: Hear my heels. Look at my chin. Let's play this game. Smirk.
1. Chapter 1

**C.h.a.p.t.e.r ONE**

I'm the one who is dressed as a princess, but she's the one getting the treatment.

Stepsister from nowhere

_But, I'm both._

**Everything is quite simple in the beginning.**

* * *

><p>When I was a little girl, my mother would always remind me of my manners and etiquettes. About my gown, '<em>Sakura! Don't step on your gown!'<em> my gown back then is of crimson color with sakura petals with violet shadows as highlights. Sometimes, it would be about my chin or my forehead, _'Sakura! Don't look down too much! Chin up!'_ and she would look sternly at me and I would oblige. But, after I've done her command, she'll say, 'Sakura_! Don't look up too much! You forehead is showing!' _I do have a very lovely mother and a wide forehead as a blessing.

And for a very special occasion, just for today, I wore the same gown, only bigger for today; I am carrying a big responsibility.

"Princess Haruno, welcome to the Uchiha Estate. "

Yes. From today on, I have to do my best to be the youngest Uchiha's bride. All for the sake of my mother, Haruno state's "Queen".

I can feel the keen look of the welcome attendee. As we climb up the long stairs, she seems to be listening carefully to the sound of my steps, looking at my chin, and measuring the rhythm of my movements, a fine eagle indeed. And in return, my movements are perfect. Not too close, not too showy, just right.

I know that now, in the modern days, the trend of girls are to be confident, loud and does not show much consciousness to her surroundings. But I prefer another. Being a princess, I have to be classic, elegant and perfect. I must be. I have to win this battle.

With _perfection_.

Exceptions are not my specialty.

"We are now in front of the young master's room."

She knocked on the very obnoxious wooden door carved the Uchiha symbol.

"Young master, one of your bride candidates is here." Her voice was a little jittery now.

No response.

"Young master, one of your –"

"Get lost." is the response. A very sharp and venom filled voice. But cool to feel.

"But, young mas –"

"Get. Lost." A prominent pause is present, signaling his frank dislike.

I decided to intervene.

"Madame, please be calm. Let me handle this." The attendee looked terrified but complied nonetheless. She backed away.

Breath.

You can do this Sakura.

I grasp the knobs and pushed the door inward. Once I got inside, the door closed by itself and what I saw is not really a pleasant sight.

A situation that calls for the natural.

I screamed.

"Princess Sakura!"


	2. Chapter 2

**C.h.a.p.t.e.r TWO**

_"Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy, but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril."_

- Sun tzu Art of War

* * *

><p><em>Previously:<em>

"_Madame, please be calm. Let me handle this." The attendee looked terrified but complied nonetheless. She backed away._

_ Breath._

_ You can do this Sakura._

_ I grasp the knobs and pushed the door inward. Once I got inside, the door closed by itself and what I saw is not really a pleasant sight._

_ A situation that calls for the natural._

_ I screamed._

_ "Princess Sakura!"_

I came in contact, _skin to skin_ contact with a wall. Can a wall have a fleshy skin? I guessed my way up to stabilize myself. I looked at the wall but what I saw is shirtless homo sapiens sapiens, a human. Human. And male. I should be beaten ruthlessly by my mother now. What will she say when she will found out that her only daughter saw something inappropriate before her wedding? Outrageous.

The culprit took hold of me and hugged me. No. I mean covered my eyes and strangled me.

"How dare you enter my room?" He said with an angry low voice.

"What do you mean? You're a lazy-chicken-butt that refused to open up!" I whispered harshly.

He stared at me incredulously and he attempted to lift me up, kind of in a pose of throwing me away.

"Release me or I'm going to scream."

The annoying door opened. Despite my orders. Who dared. I was showering due the early hunting that I've done. Could they not understand such simple two words? Fools.

Then the intruder came in and she's annoying. Everything. Pink hair. Crimson dress, pale skin, vibrant jade eyes. Bright. Boisterous. The stupid thing bumped into me.

I leaned to her ear. She's incredibly small.

"How dare you enter my room?"

"What do you mean? You're a lazy-chicken-butt that refused to open up!" she whispered harshly.

No girl or human ever spoke to me this way except for my family. No one. This is clearly crossing my line. My very broad line.

"Release me or I'm going to scream." She said.

"Then you're dead."

But she screamed.

"Princess Sakura!"

Her supposedly servant accompanied with one of our attendees entered the room. They ran towards her in an alarm and the attendee gasp at my appearance. I did tell them to get lost.

But the worse thing is that, my father was with them, now looking at me with eyes ready to kill.

"Sasuke, what happened here?"

"My king," the annoying girl suddenly said "I tripped and your son, the young master saved me." She looked at me with a vibrant, almost genuine grateful smile. "I owe my life to him."

"Shut up. I did nothing of such deed."

What is this girl talking about? Me save her? I'd rather die.

Then, she did something incredible, her lips quivered and her cheeks huffed up. Her eyes began read and teary, almost genuinely affected from the tone of my voice.

"Sasuke! Apologize at once!" my father roared at me, ashamed of my action, "You should be glad for her gratitude!"

I looked at the girl and I saw her face. It is still teary but now with a pose of a challenge.

I smirked.

I know just the perfect plan.

Uchihas do challenges and never loses.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness, my princess" I slightly smiled at her while putting on my robe. "I was taken aback by your voice that I got a little out-of-control." I bowed and helped her up.

That should be enough.

My father left. And the girl seemed to have said something to the other two for they have also left. She walked towards me.

"I intend to play a game."

He looked at me with a stoic look. Arrogant butt. I took a fake deep breath.

' "Play with me and you'll either win or lose."

He smirked.

"The one who wins will win the other. You can do anything."

"And what's in?" He asked, now inching towards me.

"I have to be your wife, a shame that I do not will it. But with your acting earlier, I suppose I can have this game. If I lose, I can be your servant forever and make me do anything you desire, whether I can do them or not, I will still comply." I gave him a confident look. "You should agree by the incident earlier. I timed perfectly to the arrival of your father."

He, once again smirked.

I did not realize he was so close. This _close_.

"Then, I have an initial condition." He whispered. I have to control myself to stop myself from blushing too much.

"And what is that?"

"A pact of your clear submission to my domain and me."

And he bit my ear.

My _ear._

I thought that his looks were wasted by his words. But his actions failed me. I've walked in the dungeon of torture.

The battle ended.

The war will begin.

Who will be the winner.


	3. Chapter 3

_ I was once a hopeless, lost diamond, concealed in the dark._

_In a wretched and dismal cave where, no light could touch my heart._

_-_ _Danette Kettwich_

_I thought that his looks were wasted by his words. But his actions failed me._

_I've walked in the dungeon of torture._

This thought never left me even as I go to sleep. My bedroom is enclosed by a macabre atmosphere, fitting for a gothic princess. But I am no such, I prefer to be sadistic. I remembered in the palace, my mother always filled my room with pink and fluffy things, those things that a 5 year old girl would love.

I have to think about the things that I have to do in here. That prince seemed to be a challenger, someone who will never back down. I have to be careful; it's not easy to thread something in his complicated mind.

Surely, he will not waver, he will keep on having a counter-attack, and I have to study him, analyze his every movement… know his weakness. He must have at least one.

He's not perfect.

No one is.

I stared at the ceiling. It's filled with paintings of dark and fallen angels. Black wings. Fade out black eyes and extremely pale complexion. I wonder whose room this was before. Surely, not all rooms in the palace are like this? But what if!

Heh.

Get ready for some candy prince.

That bite deserves a payback.

After all, there is no such thing as free food in this world, much less for a bite.

'Geez, it's just a bite Sakura! And admit it, you _like _it~'

Argh. Stop it Inner.

I stomped my way towards the door and breathe in the new scent, a new turn of the wind's direction. The tables will now turn under my command.

Game.

…

"Young Master, it's time for dinner. Her Majesty Mikoto-sama has already requested for your presence." An old butler called out. After all, he has to get his voice across the thick obnoxious door.

"Yes, James. Thanks for informing me." The cold voice returned.

The said young master fixed his blood red tie. He looked on the mirror for the last time and went to the dining hall.

…

The hallway in this palace is really creepy. Reoccurring theme of these fallen angels continued to play in my mind when I stopped.

The target is in my line of sight.

"Uchiha!" I called out.

The said person looked at me. I hurriedly ran towards him to say the rules of the first game.

"Uchiha, I'll now be given the first terms of the phase one of the game." I fixed my posture while looking at my heels.

"Pardon," the voice suddenly said, "But I might not be the one that you're looking for."

What? I looked up and saw Sasuke but his hair is long and tied backwards. What is this bastard saying?

"But you're Uchiha Sasuke! Don't kid with me, untie your hair and I'm sure that your duckbutt hairstyle will be revealed!" I shouted at him while regaining my standard distance.

The supposedly not Sasuke suddenly chuckled and untied his hair.

It was long and silky. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I_ want_ that hair. But wait, who's this person now?

"I'm Uchiha Itachi. You may call me Itachi." He smiled and gestured that I must follow him.

…

We ended up in a dark hallway. The walls are only lighted by torches, like those of the medieval ages.

"Ano, but where are we going?" I asked the older Uchiha.

He only continued to walk; it seems that he did not hear me.

"Excuse me" I asked again, a little louder than I intended.

Itachi abruptly stopped and began tapping the wall. One tap on the right. One tap on the left. One tap on the middle.

The brick wall opened.

_Cool. _

We entered the room. It was a time warp. It was brimming with technology, like the base for all of the security control in this palace. Itachi motioned me to sit down so, I did.

"I'm sorry for not answering you a while ago." He paused and took a sip from his tea. Where did that came from?

"We have to be silent as to not wake the sleeping occupants of this palace."

"What? Like ghosts?"

"Silly. No. Anyway," he stood up and went to a glass case. He opened it with a key card then lifted the content.

"I wanted to show you this. As a welcome present, I decided that this would be the best gift."

He handed me an old album.

I opened it.

Inside were the…

"These are Uchiha Sasuke's baby photos!"

I squealed with delight.

"But why give me this? This is something private!"

Itachi chuckled. "I heard about your game. And I wanted to be a sponsor. Of course, I'm not on anyone's side; Sasuke will also be getting his own fair share."

I dropped the album.

"Good luck on your game Saku-chan!" And he walked away, leaving "Saku-chan" stunned.

"ITACHIIIIIIIIII!"

"You don't have to check me out."

He circled around her, making her spine bend a little.

"You should have seen your face Haruno."

The said Haruno dropped her jaw and made a fist. She stepped a little and began to turn around. She aimed an upper cut.

But fate really is a genius. They ended down the floor. They both stood up and Haruno glared at Uchiha.

He walked away, while she fumed with anger.

"That was first round Sakura, and I won."

The wall cracked.

…

… flashback…  
><em>The sound of the bells ringing filled the palace and all the maids hurried to do an extra work, preparing for the arrival of the next bride candidate. They polished every glass with a tint of red and they decorated every main hall with fiery red theme which made these halls looked like something from an ancient vampire movie.<em>

_The princess made her entrance and everyone straightened their back. They wouldn't dare catch the attention of this devil._

_She looked around and her eyes glinted with malice. She adjusted her glasses and curtsied before the Uchiha Prince. _

"_My greetings, Prince Sasuke, I really loved" she looked around and smiled again "your care for me."_

_Her smile made every cringed. It certainly is not a good one._

"_My pleasure, Karin."_

_The Uchiha smirked, knowing that a certain someone is watching. He kissed the devil's hand and went closer to her ear and whispered something that really made the princess stunned and blushed, complimenting her bitter red nature._

…

She threw another dart at the memory. Surely he knew that she was there! And she had even announced the first round! She threw her last dart and went to the terrace and steamed off her frustration out. Why did she react that way? She knew that the new princess is something but she did not expected her to be so, dirty. The way that glint is present in her eyes, it's not right. Something tells her that the princess has something, something she knew she has to find out. She closed her eyes and thought about it.

She opened her eyes and saw something moved in the forest. And focused her eyes and saw something that she will regret. The eureka of her thoughts, but it's –

Disgusting.

She walked her way out the room.

Her smile gives you the hint of victory.

…

…

"Uchiha!"

I shouted but he did not stop. He continued to walk. The nerve of this jerk.

"Hey!"

Finally.

"What?" He had his bored look on.

"I just wanted to announce the second round."

"Oh? Right after you lost the first one?"

"It does not matter. Listen, "

I opened the scroll that I made last night.

"This is the map. We will have a treasure hunt. Whoever finds the treasure is the winner. But, a confirmation will be made, if the first one who found the treasure failed to look at it for 60 seconds, he or she will lose. And don't worry, a friend of mine made these so I know nothing of it."

"And why is that?"

"You will know."

He looked at me and smirked. He walked away, carrying the map.

But not after kissing my cheek.

"You will lose."

I really hate him.

…

_But love and hate has a thin line Saku-chan…_

…

The game starts tonight. I looked at my map and made my way towards the gate. I saw a child sitting a bright green bean bag.

"Here's your first clue sir."

_The touch you gave is nothing but an illusion._

_You'll soon regret it and have it sold._

_Your desire awaits, open the invitation._

_Walk and see it hidden by a tight hold._

I frowned. I turned around and saw a circle of girls around me.

"Prince Sasuke, please think about it. You'll find the answer if you knew our needs."

I broke their circle and made my way towards the graveyard. I knew that some kind of trick is present here. Surely, the illusion lies in here.

…

A circle of girls suddenly surrounded me. And the first clue also freaked me out. What in the world is Shikamaru thinking?

"What do you mean by your need little girls?"

They giggled. It reminded me of pixies.

"Your kiss Princess." One of them jumped in an ecstatic manner. Weird.

They broke their circle and ran. I followed them and I ended up in a center, surrounded by gravestones.

Is this a graveyard?

I walked around and bumped into a statue. It looked like an old man, a very tired old man. But what made me curious are his hands. A paper was sticking out of it.

_Your luck finally appeared._

_But you remember, you way here._

_You might never be received._

_A revelation surely, is something to fear._

"Princess Sakura!"

The girls grabbed my hand and we ran.

I'm gonna kill Shikamaru.

…

…

Damn it. Why are these clues so vague? The wind suddenly stopped. A rare occurrence, given the temperature tonight.

"HELP!"

A blood curling scream followed after the shout. I ran towards the abandoned area of this palace, a place not mentioned in the map. But the scream came from this direction.

…

…

I heard a scream and I know that it's not good. Did Sasuke hear it, too? Is this part of the treasure hunt? I ran towards the direction of the voice.

…

…

I stepped inside the abandoned place. There is nothing here. But something, or rather someone made my senses spike up.

"Sakura?"

She looked at me and relief flashed her face.

"Sasuke, thank goodness. Where are we?"

"This is an abandoned place; we used to play here all the time."

"Play? What do you mean play? And did you hear that scream?"

She suddenly stopped looking and stared ahead of us. I looked to where she was staring at.

Karin was tied to a stone post, her dress destroyed and but she looked unharmed. Me and Sakura made our way closer, to Karin and to each other.

"Sasuke, " she whispered.

"What?"

She held my hand and but did not looked at me.

"Sh-She's a …" She paused.

"male."

She fainted and I smirked.

"I won."

I carried her back to her room.

…

_Why are you smiling like that Saku-chan?_

_Because I know that I'll win!_

_Really? But Saku-chan, fate thinks otherwise._

_You have to thread your way well, even though it will never be yours to control._

...

…

_The Uchiha smirked, knowing that a certain someone is watching. He kissed the devil's hand and went closer to her ear and whispered something that really made the princess stunned and blushed, complimenting her bitter red nature._

"_Don't ever show your face to me, Karin Miguel Pelart"_

_He made his way towards his room and made sure he brushed his teeth well. He called Kiba._

"_Please be here tonight, I want you to do something."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Bring a rope and go to the abandoned area."_

"_Eh? Why?"_

"_You'll find it when you get there."_

He did not expect it to go along Shikamaru's treasure hunt plan. The guy really was a genius.

…

Sakura woke up. She only remembered a vivid image from last night. What is that she saw in the forest? She could not quite remember. But she knew one thing, she lost, twice now.

Where is her plan? Where is her blood? Is it not her turn? She felt her phone vibrate.

"Hello?"

"Sakura."

"Mother?" She nearly dropped the phone.

"Be sure to win. I can't afford any mistakes from you." The call ended.

Sakura's eyes widened. Mistakes? But she lost twice now.

She felt anger once again. A fiery passion started to circulate her system.

"I'm yet to warm up."

…

_What do you mean?_

_You'll understand when you get older Saku-chan._

_I don't understand it Mother, but I'll win anyways._

_Your pride will get you in trouble._

_But not risking my own self is worse._

_Yes. That's right._

_You have to be broken._

_But Saku-chan, don't ever stop smiling._

…

_Yes, just like that, my good girl._

…

_Even if you lose, you'll receive something._

_Wait for it._

_Next Chapter:_

"_Sasuke, please stop it."_

"_Stop?"_

"_Your father might see us."_

"_We have no other choice."_

"_B-but!"_

_He pressed their bodies together._


End file.
